With its idyllic and coloured setting, Lavandou has seduced many artists who found inspiration in the village.
The Painters’ Trail
At the end of the 19th century, the district of Saint-Clair in Lavandou hosted two great names of the neo-impressionist movement: Henri-Edmond Cross and Théo Van Rysselberghe. Many other artists also stayed there like Paul Signac, Maurice Denis, Maximilien Luce, André Gide and Emile Verhaeren.
The Painters’ Trail invites you to follow the tracks of these neo-impressionist painters who have marked the history of Lavandou and who settled in the City of Dolphins. With this 2,5 km itinerary, between nature and culture, you will discover the paintings painted by these artists in Lavandou as well as enjoying astonishing landscapes.
Villa Théo
In 1910, neo-impressionist painter Théo Van Rysselberghe built his house in the Saint-Clair district. This villa, with a typical architecture of the French Riviera from the early 20th century, is a testimony of this time when neo-impressionist artists would meet in Lavandou. Van Rysselberghe hosted in this house his painter and writer friends among whom Jean Cocteau or André Gide.
Nowadays, the villa has been restored to become an art centre, hosting temporary and permanent exhibitions and echoing the Painters’ Trail.